Livaja was dropped for this weekend’s game with Juventus due to disciplinary reasons amid reports of a training ground bust-up, but the details were sketchy.

Now 24-year-old Radovanovic has come forward to reveal what happened between him and the Inter-owned Croatian striker.

“After a challenge in the game between ranks, we ended up face to face. Soon after he tried to punch me, but luckily I was turning the other way so he got my jaw. If he had got me square in the face, he’d have broken my nose.

“I was really upset, as he was like a brother to me and we always went to training together even though we live quite far away.

“I always tried to advise him, telling him to calm his temperament and transform that into positive energy on the pitch.

“Marko is a fantastic player, but in terms of his character he has to improve a lot. It hurt me to see him laughing while I went to the medical staff with a bloodied face. People like this don’t belong in football.”

Livaja arrived on loan from Inter in January, but this is already the second time he has been dropped due to disciplinary problems in training, as the 19-year-old had a row with Coach Stefano Colantuono a few weeks ago.